The Pain of Breathing
by Wanderer of the Sky
Summary: - AU WORLD: No demigods, Just humans - With every pressure, comes pain, and then comes suffocation. Percy stared at the pool with his dark eyes, looking at the dark abyss that lay in the deep end. And with every passing second, he just wanted to just jump in and sleep forever, because there is nothing worse than the pain of being able to breathe.


**A/N:** _Okay, I **know** that I'm getting a **little** depressing. Look, I need to get some of these feelings off my chest because...I am not okay. So, expect more stories somewhat in the same angst drama in the near future. I just need something to keep me grounded. The inspiration for this story kind of came when I went swimming, no one pushed me or tried to drown me, but...I wanted to drown **myself**_ _. Look, you guys need anyone to talk to, if you need help. I got your back. I will listen to you, and I will understand. Anyway, I hope that you enjoyed this_ story!  
 **Disclaimer:** _I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians series or independent books_

 **Criticism or any form of advice is highly appreciated!**

 **!TRIGGER WARNINGS!**

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 **The Pain of Breathing**

Percy stared at the pool as he stripped of himself of his clothes, leaving only his swimsuit on. Staring at it, he could see the bottom, the dark abyss of the water looking as if it could go down forever.

He dipped his feet in the deep end instead of going to the shallows first like all the other party-goers in the pool. He moved his feet around, feeling the water push-and-pull his legs around. Percy loved that feeling, stopped moving his legs altogether and just let the water move it for him.

The water gladly did it without noise.

Percy stared at the water for a few seconds, staring at the ripples before pushing his body into the water, letting himself float for a while. It was freeing, feeling his body float and every pressure that plagued him being washed away.

Everyone else at the party snickered at his antics, deeming his actions to be weird. Percy wasn't loved at his school, everyone called him stupid and bullied him. However, there was a reason that they invited him here, and it wasn't good.

Percy didn't care what they were doing, he didn't care that there were some people making out in the pool, he didn't care that they were all hanging out in the shallow water as he just stayed by himself in the deep end.

He didn't care at all. All he thought was that he was tired. He just wanted to sleep in the pool forever and ever.

He wanted to die.

But he couldn't ever do. He couldn't ever kill himself.

Percy moved his head up to the surface, inhaling slowly the air into his nose. His legs kicked back and forth in the water, the moon shining its glow, making his legs barely seen. The boy inhaled a big breath through his nose and pushed himself back into the water.

As his body floated, Percy smiled. There was no sound what-so-ever being heard under the water. It was just Percy, nothing else. No other sound, other than the rushing of the water. He released the air out of his nose, his body sinking to the floor of the deep end. Percy sat on the floor, his legs crossed and his eyes looking up to the sky.

He smiled at the sight of bubbles that slowly floated up to the surface, the sight of the moon moving from the ripples of the water. It was beautiful, Percy always thought. He loved looking at his hands and legs, noticing the beautiful glow that was cast on them through the water that came from the moon.

Percy's heart beat faster from the lack of oxygen. His brain exploded with pain. With a grim face, Percy brought his arms up and used his legs to push him to the surface so that he would get there faster.

Percy never noticed the boy's that surrounded him as he ascended to the surface of the water. He never noticed their smirking faces as his face came up through the water. All he saw were hands, pushing him down. He let out a yelp as the boy's laugh and pushed him down into the water. Percy thrashed, trying to free himself from their bruising grasps. He opened his mouth and tried to bite one of the boy's hands, however to no avail.

Percy's body finally stopped thrashing and started spazzing, his eyesight starting to turn black. His body finally stopped moving, his eyes remained open as his body started sinking again to the bottom of the pool.

One of the boys, concerned, dived down and widened at the sight of a Percy. Immediately, he swam down and grabbed his body, using the power in his legs to push both of them to the surface.

"You guys!" He screamed, "He drowned, you idiots!" The boy's pulled Percy to the side of the pool, laying him down on his back. The girls screamed, asking for help from anyone near.

Percy's brother, Jason, came running to the backyard, hearing the girls' screams. Jason kneeled at the sight of his brother. "Oh my god, Percy, no no no." Jason immediately got into action. Moving into Percy's side he started doing chest compressions, his face filled with panic. "1…2…3…4…" Jason trailed on. When he noticed Percy was still not breathing, he tilted Percy's neck and put a hand to his forehead. Bending down, he conducted CPR. "Please Percy, don't die on me. Please don't."

After a few more chest compressions, Percy's eyes opened and his lungs spit out the water through his mouth. He coughed, looking at the boys who drowned him in fear. Seeing his brother next to him, he hugged him tightly, not wanting to let go. "Can we go home? Please? I don't want to be here."

Jason patted his brother and rubbed his back in slow circles. "Yeah, we can go home. Let me get your stuff and a towel. Why don't you wait for me here?"

Percy's eyes widened and he grabbed his brother by the lapels. "Please don't let me here, I don't—"

"Hey, it's okay." Jason whispered. "It's fine, my friends can take care of you." He motioned to the other boys that had just _drowned_ him. "I'm going to get our stuff, okay? Just wait here, I won't take long."

Jason walked away, leaving Percy to the mercy of the boys.

When Jason got out of sight, one of the boys, Luke Castellan, grabbed Percy up by his shoulders and shoved him on a nearby table. "Look here, you little shit. You are _not_ " Luke shoved Percy's head into the table. "going to tell your brother what happened, alright?" The blonde-haired boy got closer to Percy's face. "And if you do tell anyone, you are going to wish that we drowned you."

The boys laughed and spit in Percy's face. Luke just held him down on the table a little while longer. Taking some time to stare at Percy's body. Smirking, he let go and started hanging out with the ladies, kissing them as his hands trailed down.

Percy started shaking, his body falling onto the ground. He didn't want to live anymore. He didn't want to be breathing. He would have rather _drowned_ than be alive. Because what Luke had planned for him in the future, would make Percy want to kill himself.

Percy looked at the water again, wishing at that moment, that he had the strength to jump in there and just sleep there forever. He never wanted to breathe again.


End file.
